The IDF is investigating two separate incidents over the weekend involving army
units in the West Bank coming under attack by large Palestinian mobs and
retreating from the area.
Palestinians have made videos of both
incidents, one from Hebron and one from Kfar Kaddum, available.
An IDF
spokeswoman said the filmed incidents were under investigation by senior
commanders in the field. “The IDF will continue to protect the residents
of the State of Israel,” she added.
Central Command officers have
identified a sharp rise in the number of violent disturbances in the West Bank
in recent weeks, resulting in a call to forces to increase awareness at all
levels.
Soldiers have complained that rules of engagement, which call for
restraint but allow shots to be fired in case of an immediate threat to life,
are too foggy to be applied clearly.
In the Kfar Kaddum incident, which
occurred on Friday, soldiers can be seen attempting to shield themselves from a
large rock-throwing crowd, before fleeing the scene.
In Hebron, a riot
broke out on Thursday when a Palestinian mob joined Palestinian police in
confronting IDF soldiers on routine patrol in the area, military sources
said.
The PA police and the soldiers became involved in mutual pushing,
and one of the Palestinian officers threw a punch, military sources
said.
Soldiers used stun grenades to distance the PA officers. At that
stage, a 250-strong crowd rapidly formed and began rioting and throwing rocks,
before being dispersed by the small IDF unit, which then left the area, the IDF
added.
Last week, OC Central Command Maj.-Gen. Nitzan Alon held a
surprise drill for the Binyamin Regional Brigade in the West Bank, in which
Artillery Corps soldiers from the Reshef Battalion had to deal with rioting, as
well as the scenario of “gunmen” planted within mobs and firing on soldiers.
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